Four aid workers kidnapped in Kenya rescued in Somalia
Somali and Kenyan troops have rescued four aid workers — including two Canadians – who were kidnapped from a refugee camp in Kenya last week.
The four rescued workers from the Norwegian Refugee Council were flown to Nairobi, Kenya on Monday afternoon, the aid group said.
The NRC said the four released hostages were: Astrid Sehl of Norway, 33; Glenn Costes of Philippines, 40; Steven Dennis of Canada, 37; and Canadian citizen Horat Sadosay, 38, who is of Pakistani origin.
Elisabeth Rasmusson, the aid group’s secretary general, told a news conference in Oslo Monday that the four are unharmed.
“We are happy and relieved that our employees have been found and have been freed,” Rasmusson told reporters.
“What we know right now is that they have been released and are in good condition.”
Released aid workers Horat Sadosay, 38, a Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, left, Glenn Costes of the Philippines, 40, center, Steven Dennis of Canada, 37, above-center, and Astrid Sehl of Norway, 33, center-right, arrive back by Kenyan military helicopter at Wilson airport in Nairobi, Kenya Monday, July 2, 2012. (AP / Sayyid Azim)
On Friday, four gunmen attacked a two-vehicle convoy from the Norwegian Refugee Council travelling along the road outside Kenya’s massive Dadaab refugee camp. They killed one Kenyan driver and wounded two other Kenyans.
The gunmen then took one of the two vehicles and the four workers. Rasmusson was one of those present during Friday’s attack but was not taken.
The gunmen later abandoned the vehicle and began walking toward the Somali border.
The Ras Kamboni militia group in Somalia, which regularly works with both Somali government and Kenyan military forces, took credit for Monday’s rescue.
Abdinasir Serar, a representative with the group, said they heard of Friday’s kidnapping and pursued the kidnappers. The militia members caught up with the kidnappers Monday morning just inside of Somalia.
They killed one of the kidnappers but the other three reportedly escaped.
The four rescued workers were taken to the Somali town of Dhobley and were then flown to Nairobi.
A Kenyan police commander said the aid group originally arranged to have armed security travel with it but that the group cancelled the security arrangements at the last minute.
The Dadaab refugee camp was set up in 1991 to house Somalis fleeing violence. It has since become the world’s biggest refugee camp, with almost 500,000 residents.
Source: CTVNews